Coupled optical systems are used in many forms, for example, in interferometric measuring devices, in which a beam is guided from one optical system of the measuring device into another optical system. The beam transition may take place as a free beam or as a beam guided in an optical waveguide.
Published German patent document DE 198 08 273 describes an interferometric measuring device for determining the profile of rough surfaces, a spatially coherent beam generating unit being provided, which emits a briefly short-coherent and broadband radiation, and a separation being performed in a section having the components of a modulation interferometer and the components of a measuring probe, and the measuring probe being coupled to the modulation interferometer via a light guide fiber system and being usable remotely from the modulation interferometer.
Such interferometric measuring devices are used in profile measuring machines. The measuring probe is integrated into an optical sensing arm, which is replaceably and mechanically connected to a measuring machine, for example, via a magnetic coupling. A modulation interferometer as a component of an optical measuring device is also connected to the measuring machine. The optical measuring device is optically connected to the measuring probe via optical waveguides. An optical waveguide runs freely next to the sensing arm as an optical connection between the measuring machine and the measuring probe. The optical waveguide is optically and mechanically coupled to the measuring machine via a plug-in connection.
The disadvantage of this design is that, due to the presence of the plug-in connection of the optical waveguide in addition to the magnetic coupling, the measuring probe cannot be automatically replaced. Manual replacement is complicated and time-consuming. When the sensing arm is swiveled, parasitic forces are transmitted to the sensing arm through the freely running optical waveguide; in addition, the optical waveguide may be easily damaged during operation or when the measuring probe is replaced. The bending of the optical fibers in the optical waveguide and/or vibrations of the fibers relative to the measuring probe may have an optical effect on the measurement result.
An object of the present invention is to provide a device for coupling beam guides of optical systems, which avoids the above-mentioned disadvantages and makes an optical and mechanical coupling of the optical systems that is detachable in a simple manner possible.